Dinoponera quadriceps venom as a source of active agents against Staphylococcus aureus

Autores de CIPF

• 

  Maria Mar Orzáez Calatayud

  Autor

• Alicia Bel García Jareño

  Autor

Participantes ajenos a CIPF

• Rocha, LQ
• Nunes, JVS
• Duque, BR
• Sampaio, TL
• Alves, RS
• Lima, DB
• Martins, AMC

Grupos de Investigación

• Laboratorio de Terapias Dirigidas en Cáncer e Inflamación

  

  Jefe/a de Grupo

  Maria Mar Orzáez Calatayud

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a highly virulent pathogen, capable of biofilm formation and responsible for thousands of deaths each year. The prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains has increased in recent years and thus, the development of new antibiotics has become necessary. Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are effective against a variety of multidrug-resistant bacteria and low levels of resistance have been reported regarding these molecules. Dinoponera quadriceps ant venom (DqV) has been described regarding its effect against S. aureus. In this study, we have evaluated the antibacterial effect of DqV-AMPs, the dinoponeratoxins (DNTxs), against Methicillin-Sensitive and a Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus strains. Our results show DNTx M-PONTX-Dq3a as a potent inhibitor of both strains, being able to prevent biofilm formation at low micromolar range (0.78-3.12 mu W. It also showed a short-time effect through membrane disruption. M-PONTX-Dq3a opens up new perspectives for the prevention of biofilm formation through the development of anti-adhesive surface coatings on medical devices, as well as the treatment of resistant strains in skin or soft tissue infections.

Keywords

• Staphylococcus aureus; Antimicrobial peptides; Methicillin-resistant; Biofilm; Dinoponeratoxins